Love Happens Once
by Blue-Rox-My-Sox
Summary: Everyone knows about the four hockey boys from Minnesota who got the chance of a life time to record and make it big. What everyone doesn't know is that they left someone behind when they left. CarlosxOC  ON HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

**Author Note: Hey guys! This will be my first BTR fanfic, and I really hope everyone likes it. The first chapter is set a few days after the guys make plans to go to LA and become 'Big Time Rush'. They just haven't told someone about it yet…**

**Read to find out! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Big Time Rush. All I got is a computer and creativity.**

**Chapter 1**

A bird fled from a nearby tree as a girl with wavy dark brown hair erupted in laughter, her chuckles resounding throughout the park. Mirth was etched across her face and her smile stretched wide, her hazel eyes glued to four boys chasing after a golden retriever. Hanging from the dog's jaws was a black helmet, the straps flapping wildly as the golden dog ran from the teens before finally coming to a stop in front of the girl, dropping the helmet at her feet and panting happily, the retriever's tongue lolling lazily out of its mouth.

"Good girl, Addie!" The girl chuckled, petting the dog's head affectionately while bending down to pick the helmet up with the other.

Grinning she faced the approaching boys and held out the helmet to the Latino, looking into his chocolate brown eyes. "Here's your helmet Carlos. Safe and sound."

Carlos breathed a sigh of relief and gratefully took his helmet and placed it on his head, patting it for good measure and smiling at the girl. "Thanks Rory."

One of Carlos's companions, with bushy eyebrows and emerald green eyes, bent down and patted Addie's back, rolling his eyes slightly at Carlos. "Jeeze Rory, are you training your dog to run in a marathon?"

Rory grinned and sat down on the bench once more, hooking Addie back onto her leash. "Careful Kendall, one might think you were out of shape if you couldn't even keep up with my dog." She smirked at Kendall's glare before standing back up and tugging lightly on Addie's leash, starting off in the direction of her neighborhood.

Another guy with dark brown hair glanced at his watch, walking alongside Rory and the three other males. "Good thing Addie decided to go to you when she did, Rory. It's about dinnertime, and who knows what Mrs. Knight would've said if we were late."

This time, one of the others with perfect brown hair and a charming smile rolled his eyes. "Only you would be concerned about Mrs. Knight's wrath, Logan."

Logan smirked at him. "Oh really James? I'm not the one who squealed like a girl when she found out it was you that sent a hockey puck into her brand new microwave."

James winced at the memory as Rory, Kendall, Logan, and Carlos burst out laughing. Rory was particularly amused by the way James seemed to shudder, as if remembering the exact look on Mrs. Knight's face as she marched over to him and began to yell like there was no tomorrow.

Rory smiled and linked arms with Carlos and Logan, who were nearest to her. "What would I ever do without you guys?"

A hush momentarily fell over the four boys, but it disappeared so quickly that Rory immediately dismissed the thought that something was wrong. James smirked at her and lightly shoved both Carlos and Logan away, lazily slinging an arm over her shoulder to draw her closer to his side. "You wouldn't know how to carry on if you couldn't see my beautiful face everyday."

Rory chuckled and shrugged his shoulder off, stepping closer to Carlos. "You wish, Diamond."

James winked. "How'd you know?"

Rolling her eyes, Rory glanced up at Carlos, mesmerized by the way his smile lit up his entire face. She stared at him as he chuckled at James's teasing, his brown eyes glowing with amusement as he enjoyed the company of his friends.

Rory sighed and stared down at the pavement, watching as her converse clad feet led her down a familiar road, one she wouldn't ever be able to forget. As the five of them began to near the Knight household, Rory chanced another glance at Carlos only to redden considerably and have her eyes shoot back down again like bullets.

"-dad get back?"

As silence overtook them, Rory looked up at the four guys, wondering why they had suddenly stopped talking. It was then she realized they were staring at her.

"What?"

Logan shook his head at her, smiling, while the others chuckled. They were all used to the way Rory zoned out. It had happened on many occasions.

"We were wondering," Kendall repeated, this time so she was paying attention, "when your dad was going to get back?"

Usually, if anyone other than the four boys brought up her dad, Rory would've shut down and quickly changed the subject in any way that she could. Her father was a touchy subject for her, but not because she had anything against him. He hadn't divorced her mother or abandoned them, and never abused her. They really didn't have any typical teen-parent troubles.

No, the reason Rory seldom talked about her dad was because he was stationed in Iraq year round. He hardly ever came home, and when he did, it was for only twenty-four hours at most. Darien Bell was a hard-working man, and a complete family guy. If only he had the chance to see his family more often.

"Oh, well, he's supposed to come home tomorrow night." Replied Rory, the five teens approaching the Knight house.

They all stopped at the front door, the guys silent as a single question buzzed through their minds. Eventually, it was James who worked up the nerve to voice it aloud.

"How long is he staying?"

Rory blinked back tears as she twisted the handle on the door, letting her hair fall so that is shadowed her face.

"He leaves the next morning." With that, Rory pushed open the door and entered the house, any trace of her sorrow gone by the point Mrs. Knight came rushing to greet them five seconds later.

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><p>Rory stared at the night sky, the stars twinkling at her, as if saying hello. The grass felt cool against her back and she smiled softly, relishing in the serenity and comfort of the moment. James and Logan were laid out on one side of her, while Carlos and Kendall were on the other. Together, the five of them gazed at the stars, enjoying each other's company.<p>

Yet, Rory couldn't help but feel a slight prick of tension in the air. Something was a miss, but she just couldn't place her finger on it. She wasn't about to ask, for she would sound ridiculous, but the thoughts nagged continuously at her, never ceasing.

"Guys, we're friends, right?" Rory whispered, her eyes never leaving the sky. She felt four sets of eyes focus on her and she shifted slightly, feeling a bit uncomfortable at the stares.

"Of course," Kendall replied, "We always have been."

Rory bit her lip and nodded at Kendall's words before pulling herself into a sitting position, a frown slowly forming on her face. "It's just…I don't know, I have this weird feeling you guys are keeping something from me. Crazy, right?"

Her heartbeat was pounding so fast, Rory was surprised they couldn't hear it. For some time, they didn't answer her, and she felt her face fall.

"You are?" Rory said, her voice holding a bit of pain.

Logan shook his head, giving Rory a reassuring smile. "Please, don't worry about it Rory. You'll know soon enough. Just give us all time to think it through, okay? Don't worry, we hate keeping things from you." He looked pointedly past her shoulder, his eyes narrowing slightly. At what, Rory wasn't sure, for she only saw Carlos and the scenery as she looked back.

"Right. I'm sorry guys, I guess I've just been feeling a bit nervous about my dad coming home."

Like a wildfire, the boys hurriedly grabbed at the opportunity to change the subject, taking to it so fast that Rory felt an unsettling feeling become present in the pit of her stomach.

What were they hiding from her?

* * *

><p>It was late, just past midnight, and Rory was watching one of her all-time favorite movies in the Knight living room. The guys were all crashed around her, each one out cold and snoring away, even twitching a few times and pulling the covers over their heads.<p>

As A Walk to Remember played on the flat-screen in front of her, Rory felt the hairs on her neck stand on end as a voice whispered in her ear, the person's breath hot against her neck. "How's the movie?"

Spinning around, Rory's heart rate sped up until she felt as if it would burst out of her chest. She glared at Carlos, who was silently laughing and grinning at her, his eyes dancing with joy.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" She hissed at him, settling down on the couch once more, pulling her blanket over her. Carlos leaped over the back of the couch and sat next to her, nestling close. It didn't bother her. Rory and the guys had known each other for years; this was all just normal behavior.

"I thought you were asleep." Rory muttered, her eyes once more glued to the TV screen. Carlos changed his position so that he was solely looking at her, and Rory turned to face him.

"I was, but you know, I'm a light sleeper." He said, shrugging his shoulders as he did so. Rory rolled her eyes and leaned back against the couch, biting her lip slightly as she tried to focus in on the movie once more. It was a bit hard to do, considering that Carlos was still staring at her. Finally, she paused the movie and gave him a hard look, her confusion blatantly displayed.

"Do I have something on my face?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

Carlos shook his head and sighed before finally averting his gaze from hers. "No, you look fine. Beautiful, in fact." Rory felt her cheek redden slightly and she stared at her hands, not daring to meet his gaze again.

"Okay, what do you want?" She asked, a hint of humor in her voice.

Carlos turned to grin at her, running a hand through his hair as he did so. "What makes you think I want something?"

Rory sighed and rolled her eyes before looking at him. "You've never called me beautiful before. Are you trying to butter me up?"

He didn't respond for a few seconds, but when he did, it wasn't what she had been expecting. "Have I really never called you beautiful? Gosh, I'm sorry, Rory. I guess I think it all the time, just never say it aloud."

Then, he rested his head on the arm of the couch and fell into a deep sleep almost instantly, leaving Rory alone with her thoughts.

She felt butterflies erupt in her stomach as she stared at the Latino and thought over his words. Perhaps they didn't mean anything. After all, they were just friends.

But there was so much more that Rory wanted them to be. Yes, she was willing to admit that she had a crush on one of her best friends. Carlos had stolen her heart three months previous, and now she knew it would always be his. Whether he would ever know it or not, Rory wasn't so sure. She didn't have a problem acknowledging _in her head_ what her feelings were. Saying them out loud was a whole other story.

She swallowed and glanced at him one more time before pressing the 'play' button on the remote, watching as Landon ran out of the school after Jamie.

I wonder if Carlos will ever pursue me…

The thought made her insides do somersaults. She wanted so much to believe that Carlos would one day wake up and realize that he loved her, but she knew that her chances were very slim. Rory knew she was only a friend to him, and that was probably how it was going to stay.

* * *

><p>The next day, Rory found herself sitting out in her front yard under a large oak tree, a pen and notepad in hand. She smiled as a bluebird chirped up above her, and she quickly jot down a few words before standing up and stretching, the sun casting its warm rays upon her.<p>

She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, and with nimble fingers, Rory took it out and flipped it open. The name 'KENDALL' was spelled out across the screen. A smile coming to her face, Rory read the text.

_Hey, the guys and I are at Frozen Cone Kingdom. Join us? ;)_

She quickly replied with a simple 'yes' before heading off to the infamous ice cream parlor. As she approached the _Frozen Cone_, Rory spotted the guys sitting around an outside table, a single empty chair in-between James and Carlos. Assuming the obvious, Rory sat down in the seat and smiled brightly. "Hey guys!"

As she was greeted, Carlos handed her an ice cream cone that was beginning to drip down the sides. "Sorry, but we couldn't wait. I made sure to get you your favorite, though. Neapolitan, right?"

Rory nodded, a grin on her face as she happily licked up the trails of ice cream. "Yeah, thanks."

Silence ensued for a few minutes afterwards as the five teens enjoyed their ice cream. To a bystander, they looked like a normal group of kids just enjoying one another's company, not a care in the world or anything out of place. But to Rory, everything was wrong. James wasn't glancing into the shop windows fixing his hair with his 'lucky comb', Logan wasn't spouting off mathematical equations or trying to start conversation, Kendall wasn't giving his usual play by play story of yesterday's hockey game, and Carlos wasn't cracking jokes. He wasn't even smiling, something that was very un-Carlos like. Anyone else noticed nothing; Rory noticed everything. With a sigh, Rory finished her ice cream before turning to stare accusingly at the four boys.

"Okay, what's up? You guys have been acting all weird and off for the past couple of days now. It's like you can't stand to be around me anymore. What's going on?"

A hint of hurt had begun to creep into her voice near the end, and Rory glanced down at her hands, which her resting in her lap.

"Oh, Rory, please look at us." It was Carlos who had spoken, and this was the sole reason that Rory did pick her head up to glance at her friends.

"Rory, you're our best friend. We love you to pieces, how could you ever think we don't want to be around you?" Kendall said, a worried frown resting on his lips.

The brunette sighed, her eyes dropping down to her lap once more. "I…I don't know. It's just…I know you guys aren't telling me something. And it's affecting the way you act around me. Please," She said, finally looking up at them again with pleading eyes, "please talk to me. I promise I'll listen with open ears."

Logan closed his eyes tightly while Kendall and James both turned to glare pointedly at Carlos, who was looking rather uncomfortable as he avoided their eyes. Rory frowned, not able to understand what was going on.

"Guys?"

Finally, she got a response as Logan opened his eyes to stare sadly at her. The look sent shivers down her spine, and she knew to expect the worst.

"Look, Rory, you'll know everything soon, okay? Just not right now. Lets just try and enjoy today and all that is in store."

Though she nodded and plastered on a fake smile, her heart was pounding rapidly and she felt her worries mount. He made it sound as if she would never get to see them again.

_Oh please, please just let the news be something like they forgot the day of my birthday and are terribly sorry._

Somehow, Rory didn't think she would be so lucky.

* * *

><p>It had been three days after Rory and the guys had hung out at the <em>Frozen Cone Kingdom, <em>and her unease had yet to vanish. She knew that they were trying to act normal around her. They really were, but they had always been terrible actors, and she could see right through them. Finally, Rory had had enough. She wanted answers, and she was determined to get them. As she made her way down the few blocks to Kendall's house, the forced smile that had previously been on her face ultimately disappeared at the sight before her. A 'For Sale Sign' reared its ugly head in the Knight's front yard, the faces of a few Real Estate Agents plastered on it. A feeling of confusion washed over Rory, and she quickly walked two houses down to Logan's. Anxiously, she knocked on the door.

As it swung open, Rory smiled nervously up at Mr. Mitchell. "Hi, um, is Logan here?"

She felt herself shrink under his gaze, and a chill went down her spine as he spoke. "Logan doesn't live here anymore. He left this morning on a plane to LA with Kendall, James, and Carlos. They were signed a few days ago by some record company." Then, he slammed the door in her face.

Rory felt has if someone had drenched her in ice cold water. What did he mean? Surely he was just playing a joke on her, right? The guys weren't really leaving. They would've told her.

Desperate for answers, Rory raced to James's house, only to get the same, if not kinder response from his mother.

Backing away from the front porch, Rory fell to the ground, her knees giving way under her.

They left me? They…they left without telling me?They left without even saying goodbye?

A single tear leaked down Rory's cheek as she picked herself up off the ground. Her hand shaking, Rory took out her cell phone and sent a one-word text to Carlos, her lips trembling.

It hardly said anything, and yet it said everything.

Why?

And for the first time in a long time, Aurora Lotus Bell cursed, more tears streaming down her face as she ran home; hurt, angry, confused, and most of all, heart-broken.

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><p><strong>What did you guys think? I'd love to hear from you!<strong>

**I'm not quite sure yet if all of the chapters will be this long or not, though they should all reach at least 900 words or more per chapter.**

**Review! ;D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Author's Note: Special thanks to Anonymous Skrtle, Mikichan 21, and an anonymous reviewer for reviewing! :)**

* * *

><p>Six months had passed since Carlos, Kendall, James, and Logan had left Rory alone in Minnesota. In those six months, a lot had changed.<p>

Rory learned that the guys had apparently been sighed to a record label as a boy group, and over the time period, she began to see them pop up occasionally on television, and even saw their CD as it hit stores. They were now 'Big Time Rush', an LA boy group who were 'just four ordinary hockey players from Minnesota, living the dream.' They never did mention the friend that they had left behind.

Now, though, Rory was finally able to forget about Big Time Rush (though not really, for they always lingered in the back of her mind as a painful memory) as she too took hold of her dreams and pursued them. Two months after the boys had left, Rory took up singing. She had always been a phenomenal dancer, and with her singing lessons, she found out she was able to do both. A week ago, she had been signed to Rocque Records.

That was how Aurora found herself standing outside of the tall, looming building of the studio that she would be recording at. Her uncle, whom she would be staying with while in LA, was at some place called the Palm Woods, where he lived. Rory was supposed to meet him in about an hour, but first, she wanted to check out where she would be working from now on.

As she entered the building, cool, refreshing blasts of air hit her face, sending pleasant shivers down her back. LA wasn't exactly Minnesota's sister state in weather, that was for sure. Rory continued down the various hallways until she found herself walking down one with posters of multiple boy bands plastered on the walls. She snorted at the ridiculous looks and names before a loud screech reached her ears, making her wince.

"You _dogs _can't do anything!" An angered voice yelled, the speaker sounding as if they were close to strangling whomever they were talking to.

Rory gaped as an angry, round-faced man walked out of a room, his fists clenched tightly. A look of confusion passed his face before it was gone and he was giving her a heated glare.

"Who the heck are you? Did I give you authorization to be in this building?"

The screams made her cover her ears, and Rory glared at the man.

"Do you mind? I actually would like to keep my hearing for a few more decades, thanks."

She watched cautiously as his face turned even a darker shade of red before a woman came rushing into the room. "Gustavo! Calm down." Then, she turned to smile apologetically at Rory. "I'm terribly sorry. My name is Kelly Wainwright, and this is Gustavo Rocque. Who are you?"

_Gustavo Rocque? This temperamental meathead is my new boss? Great. Just my luck._

"I'm Rory Bell." Rory replied, watching as comprehension dawned on both Kelly's and Gustavo's faces.

"Oh, so you're that new girl we signed?" Gustavo mumbled. "Fine, well, come with me. I'm almost done with some others dogs."

Rory glanced in confusion at Kelly as Gustavo lead them into another room. "He…he doesn't _really _train dogs in this building, does he?"

Kelly gave a small wince before shaking her head. "Not exactly, but come on, you'll see soon enough, Rory."

Curious, Rory followed Kelly into the room, which she soon realized was a recording studio. Her gaze swept across the area and she took a seat on one of the few chairs, crossing her arms over her chest as she turned to glance at whoever was in the recording booth.

Rory froze. It was as if she had been shocked with a thousand volts of electricity, and now she was completely motionless as she stared in disbelief at the four guys singing with headphones on.

'Rolling past graffiti walls, billboards lighten up the block, everyone of us on a mission-'

"STOP!" Gustavo yelled, his glare intensifying as he pressed a button to talk to the boys. "Just stop!" His face was completely red and he clenched his teeth before speaking again. "Take five!"

Rory remained where she was as Gustavo and Kelly rushed out of the room, leaving her alone with the four guys as they exited the booth. Her gaze swept across each one of them, noticing the small changes and differences about them. Yet overall, they were still the same.

They were still her boys.

"Who are you?" James asked, staring at Rory curiously.

Even though Rory knew her appearance had changed a lot in the past six months, it still hurt that they didn't recognize her.

Her dark brown hair had grown slightly, so that it went just past her mid-back and ended in natural ringlets, and she was a bit more tan and curvier than the last time she had seen them. But, she also had four streaks of highlights in her hair (pink, violet, lime green, and light blue). She had gotten them done about a week after they had left.

Rory swallowed and stood up from where she sat, her arms still crossed as she stared at the members of Big Time Rush. "Take a guess."

It took a moment, but comprehension finally dawned on all of their faces, followed closely by various emotions. Guilt, joy, and anxiety were the most prominent.

"Rory!" They all exclaimed, stepping towards her. The only reply she gave them was to take a step back, her hazel eyes narrowed as she stood rigid. They seemed to get the message and stopped in their tracks, all of them looking rather sad.

"Rory," Logan said, hesitating a little before continuing, "How've you been?"

Something inside Rory seemed to snap.

"How've I been? How have I been? You guys leave without any notice at all and fly to California to be some _band_, and leave me without any explanation? You let me figure everything out by somebody else's mouth!" Her words cut through them like a knife, and her tone was dripping with venom. "Do you guys have any idea what that _did _to me? I lost all of my closest friends in one day! I had nothing left!" Her voice dropped to a whisper as pain began to creep into her voice.

"You didn't even have the guts to say goodbye."

Rory looked particularly at Carlos, satisfied with guilty and hurt expression on his face. He had caused her such _pain _when he left, and she still wasn't sure her wounds had healed.

"Rory, I-"

"Nothing you can say will make this better, Carlos." Rory snapped. "I would've been supportive of you guys and told you to chase your dreams! But none of you had the balls to tell me about any of this! You just thought it would be better to get up and leave! Did I really mean so little to you guys? I thought we were best friends." She took a deep breath and collapsed onto the chair, her head resting in her hands as silent tears streaked down her cheeks.

Six months she had been holding it all in, and now, as she finally got to rant, she realized just how much she wanted to reconcile and make things right. But right now, she couldn't. And it had more to do with than just her pride and dignity.

A hand came to rest on her shoulder, and Logan pulled her into a warm hug. He then began to rub circles on her back in an attempt at soothing her, and Rory continued to sob into his shirt, knowing that she was most definitely staining it with tears and snot, but at that moment, she didn't care.

"We're sorry, Rory." Carlos whispered, staring with a sad gaze at Rory, who appeared to be so broken. He hadn't realized before how much them leaving would tear her apart.

Rory sniffled and pulled away from Logan, mumbling an apology at the fresh tears stains on his shirt. Logan just smiled and waved her off before stepping back to give her some space.

"I know you are, Carlos. But this doesn't mean everything is right all of a sudden." Rory reminded them. "But," She glanced wearily at them before a ghost of a smile graced her lips, "I do want to give you guys a second chance. You _are _my best friends and all, no matter what happens."

She watched as four identical grins lit up their faces, and each one of them surged forward to give her a bone-crushing hug. Rory laughed and struggled out of their grip before her expression became serious once more.

"I _do_ want to know why you guys didn't tell. I mean, was it that hard?"

Not one of them looked at her as she asked the question. Instead, James, Logan, and Kendall all shifted their gazes to Carlos, who was looking determinedly at the ground.

Kendall glanced back at Rory and rubbed the back of his neck. "We can't. Not yet at least. We made a promise."

Rory sighed and put her hands on her hips before replying. "Fine, I can wait. But I want an explanation at some point, got it?" The four just nodded, looking relieved that they had momentarily avoided the subject.

"Dogs," Gustavo said, entering the room once more, "We're done for the day. Go back to the Palm Woods and do…whatever it is dogs do when they aren't at the studio." His hands were waving wildly in the air while he spoke the last part. "Oh, and this is Rory. She's been signed to Rocque Records, and I _don't want you scaring her_!" His voice rose to that of a yell before he turned and walked out of the room.

Four sets of eyes were on Rory as she casually walked to follow Gustavo out of the studio, knowing what was coming next.

The guys quickly raced each other out of the room and stopped Rory in her tracks, Carlos's hand shooting out to grab her arm and spin her around to face them. "You were signed to Rocque Records?"

Rory bit her lip, noticing how warm his hand was on her arm before she gave them all a sheepish smile. "Yeah. Did I forget to mention that?"

"Yes!" James yelled dramatically, his eyes wide. Rory laughed and shook off Carlos's hand before shrugging.

"So I guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other. Where do you guys live?" She asked.

Carlos grinned, his brown eyes alive with warmth as he spoke. "At the most awesome place ever, the Palm Woods!"

"Home of the future famous!" James did a weird jazz finger thing in front of his face before giving Rory a large smile.

Rory slapped a hand to her forehead, a slight groan escaping her lips. "You live at the Palm Woods?" She grimaced before saying her next words. "_I _live at the Palm Woods now."

They all grinned at her and Kendall clapped his hands together. "Then I guess we _will _be seeing a lot of each other."

Logan stepped forward and linked arms with her, a friendly smile on his face. "Now come on, why don't we return to the Palm Woods together, ole' chap!"

Rory raised an eyebrow."Logan Mitchell, you _did not_ just call me old."

Logan paled and let go of her arm, backing up unsteadily as she gave him a death glare. "N-no, of course not."

Rory smirked and crossed her arms before turning and walking down the hallway. "Good, now come on, I want to see the rest of this place!"

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><p><em><strong>So, there's the second chapter! I'm sorry for the long wait, but remember, reviews give me the motivation to update faster! ;)<strong>_

**_Also, I have a link to a picture on my profile as to what I think Rory would look like. Go check it out!_**

**_Review! :D_**


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